Distance Is Measured In Time
by theeShadyLady
Summary: Zutara fic. Modern Prom AU Bending. Requested by Lahaina-Gurl on tumblr. Sukka mentioned, but not focused on.


**Distance Is Measured In Time**

 **A/N** **-** ** _Fic from my Zutara Blog - November 5, 2016. Requested by Lahaina-Gurl (based on the cover image)._**

She had him pinned to the ground, shards of ice hovering above their heads and aiming at him. "Give up yet, fire dork?"

"Never," he hissed hooking his arm around hers and pulling her off balance. She dropped to her side, the ice falling from her shock and shattering against the ground. In a breath his hands were around her wrists holding them above her head with a knee pressing against her hips.

"Do you wanna go with me or not?" he repeated the question that started this battle as she squirmed to get free.

"Why?"

"It would be fun," he shrugged, but didn't loosen his hold.

He felt her fingers twitch a moment too late and a second later a wall of water was crashing down on his head.

"Katara!" he gasped, spitting water from his mouth and trying to catch his breath.

He took that as her version of a 'no' and tossed his head, flipping his soggy hair out of his face. She now had a hand over her mouth covering a laugh while she picked up her things. Walking away she slung her bag of her shoulder, but before she got to far she turned and tossed a final comment his way. "Pick me up at seven."

* * *

"Are you gonna close your mouth or do I need to pour more water on you?" He could see the grin in her eyes that lips wouldn't show. She wore a purple dress that shimmered in the fading daylight and clung to her waist before falling straight down from her hips. White crystals that seemed to shine like the moon decorated her neckline, her ears, and even her one of her wrists.

"You look…" he had no words. She always looked nice, well… as good as she could look during hours of bending practice, which was really the only time they saw each other anymore outside of when he hung out with Sokka. But now she looked… nothing even compared to the way she shined. No words could do her justice.

"Oh, uh, no… sorry, I just…" a hand slid up and behind his own neck as he struggled to find the right words. "Are you, uh, ready to go?"

Katara just nodded instead of throwing out another snarky response. "You look good, too, by the way."

"Thanks," was all he could manage to blurt out.

They walked in relative silence all the way to the event hall where the dance was bring held. He had insisted several times earlier in the week upon renting a limo so she could have the proper experience, but each effort was rejected with her reminding him she only lived three blocks from the hall.

"How about a picture?" A worker asked, ushering the two of them towards a wall striped white and gold. The ballroom was dark, with neon lights, and faux gold decorations. It was tacky, but no one else seemed to mind. His eyes wandered around the room, catching a glance at Sokka who waved and he returned the gesture.

Zuko felt arms wrap around him causing his own to lift a bit on reflex.

"What are you doing?"

"I dunno," he dropped his arms back to his sides in confusion, but Katara grabbed one of his hands and placed it on her hip.

"You're such a weirdo," her laugh brought his mind back enough for him to realize that his other hand should be on her waist as well. "There you go, fire dork." She praised, bringing her hands to rest on his shoulders once again and smiling as the camera clicked a dozen times.

"Thank you," Katara waved at the woman behind the camera before dragging Zuko to the middle of the dance floor. He felt out of place, even as Suki and Sokka wandered over to say hello.

Sokka joked saying he was upset he wouldn't get his dance with Zuko now that Suki and his sister were here, which earned him a playful shove from his date. Soon enough though the couple mumbled something about going to get a drink, but as he watched them leave they barely made it out of the crowd of people before they started running their hands over each other and making out.

"So why'd you wait so long to ask me?" Katara's voice brought his focus back to her, as her arms laced around his neck. He pulled her closer, his hands finding a home against her back. He swayed slowly and they moved in small circles in contrast to the fast music blaring from the speakers and the sweaty bodies grinding and milling around them.

"Sokka wanted me to come with him, so we could rig the voting to make us king and queen," Katara raised an eye brow at that. "He's your brother, you know he'd done weirder things than that… but, uh, anyway he's with Suki so he wanted to take her instead.

The comment made her pause, their movement suddenly stalling. "So since you can't have my brother, you settled for me?"

Zuko's voice was suddenly serious, "When it comes to you, I never settle."

She smiled a bit, seemingly content with his answer. "Hey, uh, it's really loud in here, do you wanna go outside for a bit?" She only nodded before following him out the door and onto the front lawn.

The music was almost as loud outside as it was inside, but after a few moments it changed, dropping to a slow beat that had her wrapping her arms around him again. They were alone under the moon and the starlight, save for a few couples laughing and stumbling after each other heading behind the building with half empty bottles and several couples moaning and groping each other between parked cars.

Almost instantly he felt her grabbing at his jacket as her heels sunk into the ground. He was about to offer to go back on the sidewalk, but he was stopped by the feeling of her leaned against him as she kicked both shoes off. He grinned and did the same, stepping on his socks to pull them off as well.

The grass was wet and dewey against their toes until she flicked her fingers in a shooing motion drawing all the water away from where they now circled. "You're amazing," he smiled down at her.

But she didn't seem to understand what he meant. Her eyes told him she didn't think what she'd done was impressive, but instead of arguing she just shook her head and mirrored his smile.

His arm lifted and he spun her away from him at a particular swell in the music, before bringing her back to him. She leaned into him again with one hand on his shoulder and the other on his chest. Beneath the fabric she could feel the knotted scar tissue from an old injury that was burned into both of their memories.

The day flashed in her mind, replaying so clearly it felt like it was yesterday. _His own sister had given it to him a just over two years ago. They'd been fighting, like they always did. Something about their father –or maybe something else– that part never was quite clear to her._

 _The two siblings had never had a good home life and it had been the basis of what tore them apart. Their mother had favored Zuko, but left for unknown reasons, and their father –if you could even call them that– constantly abused Zuko in every way. He was also hard on Azula, but it was never physical with her. Her life was a constant build up and tear down and until the day Zuko got the scar she'd almost felt bad for the girl._

 _But when the fights, turned into all out battles between the siblings, Azula sending lethal strikes and Zuko just trying to defend himself. Katara had came over to visit Zuko that day and everything escalated with her presence. The attacks had turned to her._

A bolt of lightning shot across her memory and her fingers dug into his chest remembering the way he had jumped in front of her. She'd been thankful for his act, but something changed between them and it made her pull away back then. That was the day she began referring to him as her brother's friend, instead of hers.

"I don't think I… I ever thanked you _for this_ ," she whispered unable to look him in the eyes, but making his throat constrict just the same.

"You didn't nee– you _don't_ need to."

"Yes, I do," she stood still again before lifting up on her toes and brushing her lips against his. "Thank you, Zuko."

It felt like someone had just grabbed his heart, and perhaps they had –perhaps _she_ had. She _never_ said his name. Not in years. And now, the way it slipped from her tongue, it never sounded better than it did coming from her lips. Before he knew it his hand had slid up her back and into her hair pulling her mouth back to his.

It was a breathless kiss, a lot of gasping and panting, like it had been building inside both of them for years. And maybe it had been, at least for him. But despite this, he was the first to break the connection between their mouths. Leaving his cheeks _burning_ red and hers glowing pink.

"Thank you for inviting me, this is… this is nice," she whispered looking at the white tie around his neck rather than him.

His lips met her forehead and she leaned in, glad for the contact. "No one else I would have wanted here," he whispered into her hair. "No one else."


End file.
